Because the Cannes Film Festival has an issue with Netflix, its director, Thierry Fremaux, decided to shade one of the best working directors out there because of it. Fremaux said that Fincher wasn’t making Cannes-level movies. Why? Because they’re produced by Netflix. Sir, be for real.
The Cannes rule (which is a French law) is that a movie cannot end up on a streaming service within a year in France, in order to be in consideration. So that completely rules out any movie from Netflix being considered. Sure, it’s great for keeping the theatrical release alive, but the idea that Fincher’s work is any less for being a Netflix property is where I have issue.
What Fremaux has insinuated is that Fincher’s work with Netflix, which includes Mank and his recent film The Killer, is somehow less worthy for a Cannes release than others simply because they don’t have a long theatrical release.
The actual quote from Fremaux is insulting while praising Fincher in the same breath. What his complaint tells me is that he hasn’t watched The Killer if he thinks that Fincher is not making the same quality of movies. “[Fincher’s] still a great filmmaker,” Fremaux said at the Goteborg Film Festival (via Deadline). “But he doesn’t exist at the same level in our hearts and minds as in the past. He wants to work alone, quietly, making his films for platforms. It’s a different world. We miss him. We want him back in our world.”
The Killer was one of the best movies of last year
Fremaux’s response is truly frustrating because The Killer was one of the best movies of last year, and it did premiere at the Venice International Film Festival. So it was good enough for other film festivals but France is too good for it? The comment that Fremaux “misses” him and wants his work back is such a slap in the face of films like The Killer, which is a movie that is very much Fincher at his best!
In looking at the Rotten Tomatoes score for most of the films that debuted there last year, The Killer is pretty much in the same vein as the rest, with its 86% Fresh score. Acting like somehow Netflix has diluted his worthiness is laughable.
He’s saying they “miss” him while the one movie from Fincher that did debut there was Zodiac. So he let one of Fincher’s movies compete and thinks he knows Fincher and his work? As a self-proclaimed Fincher super fan, with Zodiac being my favorite, I can safely say that The Killer is in the same vein as Zodiac in tone and style.
What Fremaux’s comments show is that he just wanted to scream about streaming services and decided to use Fincher as his scapegoat. Sorry he’s mad at Netflix! That is not David Fincher’s fault, and his movies have not changed in their style or brilliance. He didn’t go anywhere for him to be “missed.” This guy is just mad at a streaming service and taking it out on one of the best directors out there, and I won’t stand for it!
(featured image: Netflix)
